MN Vikings Insider Floats New WR Target to Watch
The 2026 NFL Draft has now come and gone and there are a lot of arguments being had among fans and so-called experts over how much fruit the latest Minnesota Vikings class will produce next season and beyond.
One argument you will not hear on either side however, is over what kind of talent they managed to add at wide receiver… because the answer is ZERO. Not only did the MN Vikings pass on replacing Jalen Nailor during the first few waves of free agency but they opted not to draft any either.
That means the only rookie wideouts playing in Minnesota next season will be that of the undrafted variety. It also means, if the season started today, Tai Felton would slot in as the MN Vikings WR3 in standard three-wide receiver sets.
That’s an unsettling thought for a Vikings offense that struggled to move the ball through the air in 2025, and one that is trying to pack as much talent around new QB1 Kyler Murray (probably), as possible.
Sure, Kevin O’Connell plans to play a heavier style on offense next season, especially after drafting CJ Ham’s replacement (and JJ McCarthy’s old pal) at fullback in the 5th round. And there’s no doubt TJ Hockenson will be more productive with Kyler Murray throwing him footballs, just given his prior success finding tight ends in the past.
Minnesota Vikings targeting a new free agent wide receiver?
But let’s be real, the MN Vikings need more wide receiver weapons for their 2026 offense than Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, if they want to be serious about making it back to the playoffs. But now that the offseason has moved beyond the draft, where are they going to find it?
Well in his latest piece at The Athletic, Vikings insider and beat reporter Alec Lewis floated a new name wide receiver name for us to keep tabs on, floating 28-year-old veteran pass catcher Jauan Jennings as a possible Vikings target post-draft.
The Vikings have remained optimistic about Tai Felton’s development as a receiver. Still, the team explored drafting a player at the position early. Trading edge rusher Jonathan Greenard cleared some cap space, so Minnesota could target a free-agent addition in the coming weeks. How much would the team be willing to spend? If it’s enough, perhaps a player like former 49ers wideout Jauan Jennings could become an option.
Alec Lewis – The Athletic
Last season, Jauan Jennings started all 15 games he played for the San Francisco 49ers, totalling 643 yards and 9 touchdowns (career high) on 55 receptions. His 2024 season was arguably even better. Jennings caught 77 passes for 975 yards and 6 touchdowns that year, easily career highs in the first two categories.
If the MN Vikings want to sure up their wide receiver position, Jennings would be one of the top available options, right next to Murray’s former teammate in Arizona, DeAndre Hopkins, who has professed his desire to play for Minnesota publicly. The interest may or may not be mutual.
Since Jauan Jennings played his last game on the #49ers, here is one of my favorite Jauan Jennings games vs the Rams 🔥
— Sleeper49ers (@SleeperSF49ers) March 31, 2026
– 3 TDs
– 11 recs
– 175 yards
🎥: @49ersSportsTalk pic.twitter.com/WnqTrfzVwV
Does Jauan Jennings even make sense for the Vikings?
Jennings signed a reworked deal last offseason with the Niners, which got him to camp in 2025 and made him a free agent in 2026. Prior to signing that contract, the University of Tennessee alum was reportedly looking for over $20 million per year, on a long-term deal.
If that is still his goal, he probably isn’t getting that with the Minnesota Vikings, even if they do have some extra money to spend after trading Jonathan Greenard and his $19 million/year to the Eagles.
NFL Draft News: MN Vikings Draft JJ McCarthy’s Fullback
But the fact that Lewis is mentioning Jennings as a possible target for the Vikings is no coincidence. While Rob Brzezinski’s front office proved leak-free during the draft, it was Lewis who proved to have a better inside track than his local/national insider colleagues/competitors.
Not only did Alec seriously doubt Minnesota’s supposed interest in Oregon safety Dillon Thieneman from the very beginning, but he also had them on Demond Claiborne — who they landed in the fifth round — on just about every mock draft he dropped for a month-straight.
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